The Cartoon History of the Modern World, Part II: From the Bastille to Baghdad (Cartoon History of the Modern World)

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

“From the Bastille to Baghdad,” The Cartoon History of the World Part 2 is the conclusion (for the moment) of Larry Gonicks award-winning and bestselling annals of humankind presented in graphic novel form. Picking up after the American Revolution, where Part 1 left off, Part 2 opens with the Enlightenment and rolls across Napoleon, the fall of the Ottoman Empire, World War I and II, and all the way to our recent imbroglios in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Cartoon History of the Modern World Part 2 is a monumental, one might say “historic” achievement, at once edifying, irreverent, and wildly entertaining. Terry Jones of Monty Python said of the first volume of this series, “Obviously one of the great books of all time.” And modern civilizations most recent act is no less enthralling.

Review:

"The final installment of Gonick's deeply funny and impeccably researched series has finally arrived, and like the rest of his Cartoon History series, the book covers a wide range of key and fascinating historical events and topics that have managed to slip through the gaps of common knowledge. The section linking the slave trade, the Haitian revolution and the Napoleonic Wars is particularly good, as are the segments on the modern history of Japan and China. Brilliantly funny, the series finds the inherent humor in history rather than pasting on irrelevant jokes. This is the most politicized book in the series, a jarring but perhaps unavoidable element, since it covers an era ending when Gonick sent the proofs to his publisher. Also, the pacing is odd and frequently rushed — it seems to need an extra hundred pages. Possibly as a result, the book has some interesting gaps. Most notably, aside from the occasional snide remark or allusion, the entire pre-Vietnam history of the United States is completely left out. While Gonick has covered these topics in depth in other books (the stand-alone Cartoon History of the United States) and perhaps tired of them, the absence is glaring." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Synopsis:

From celebrated artist Lary Gonick, here is the extraordinary story of the modernworld, from the French Revolution to today.

More than thirty years ago, master cartoonist and historian Larry Gonick began the epic task of creating a smart, accurate, and entertaining illustrated history of the world. In this, the fifth and final book of this beloved and critically acclaimed series, Gonick finally brings us up to the modern day.

The Cartoon History of the Modern World, Part II picks up at the Enlightenment; continues through two and a half centuries of revolution, social and economic innovation, nationalism, colonialism, scientific progress, and the abolition of slavery; and concludes in the early twenty-first century with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Essentially a college-level course in modern world history, with equal attention given to every area of the globe, Gonick's witty and engaging pages bring the past to life and put a brilliant new spin on our world. Whether you are a longtime fan or a first-time reader, this thrilling conclusion of our civilization's monumental story is not to be missed!

Synopsis:

The Cartoon History of the Modern World is a wickedly funny take on modern history. It is essentially a complete and up-to-date course in college level Modern World History, but presented as a graphic novel. In an engaging and humorous graphic style, Larry Gonick covers the history, personalities and big topics that have shaped our universe over the past five centuries, including the Industrial Revolution, the American Revolution, the Russian Revolution, the evolution of political, social, economic, and scientific thought, Communism, Fascism, Nazism, the Cold War, Globalization--and much more.

Volume I of the Cartoon History of the Modern World picks up from Gonick's award winning Cartoon History of the Universe Series. That series began with the Big Bang and ended with Christopher Columbus sailing for the New World. This book starts off with peoples that Columbus discovered and ends with the U.S. Revolution.

About the Author

Larry Gonick has been creating comics that explain math, history, science, and other big subjects for more than forty years. He has been a calculus instructor at Harvard (where he earned his BA and MA in mathematics) and a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT, and he is currently staff cartoonist for Muse magazine. He lives in San Francisco, California.

"Publishers Weekly Review"
by Publishers Weekly,
"The final installment of Gonick's deeply funny and impeccably researched series has finally arrived, and like the rest of his Cartoon History series, the book covers a wide range of key and fascinating historical events and topics that have managed to slip through the gaps of common knowledge. The section linking the slave trade, the Haitian revolution and the Napoleonic Wars is particularly good, as are the segments on the modern history of Japan and China. Brilliantly funny, the series finds the inherent humor in history rather than pasting on irrelevant jokes. This is the most politicized book in the series, a jarring but perhaps unavoidable element, since it covers an era ending when Gonick sent the proofs to his publisher. Also, the pacing is odd and frequently rushed — it seems to need an extra hundred pages. Possibly as a result, the book has some interesting gaps. Most notably, aside from the occasional snide remark or allusion, the entire pre-Vietnam history of the United States is completely left out. While Gonick has covered these topics in depth in other books (the stand-alone Cartoon History of the United States) and perhaps tired of them, the absence is glaring." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Synopsis"
by Harper Collins,

From celebrated artist Lary Gonick, here is the extraordinary story of the modernworld, from the French Revolution to today.

More than thirty years ago, master cartoonist and historian Larry Gonick began the epic task of creating a smart, accurate, and entertaining illustrated history of the world. In this, the fifth and final book of this beloved and critically acclaimed series, Gonick finally brings us up to the modern day.

The Cartoon History of the Modern World, Part II picks up at the Enlightenment; continues through two and a half centuries of revolution, social and economic innovation, nationalism, colonialism, scientific progress, and the abolition of slavery; and concludes in the early twenty-first century with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Essentially a college-level course in modern world history, with equal attention given to every area of the globe, Gonick's witty and engaging pages bring the past to life and put a brilliant new spin on our world. Whether you are a longtime fan or a first-time reader, this thrilling conclusion of our civilization's monumental story is not to be missed!

"Synopsis"
by Ingram,
The Cartoon History of the Modern World is a wickedly funny take on modern history. It is essentially a complete and up-to-date course in college level Modern World History, but presented as a graphic novel. In an engaging and humorous graphic style, Larry Gonick covers the history, personalities and big topics that have shaped our universe over the past five centuries, including the Industrial Revolution, the American Revolution, the Russian Revolution, the evolution of political, social, economic, and scientific thought, Communism, Fascism, Nazism, the Cold War, Globalization--and much more.

Volume I of the Cartoon History of the Modern World picks up from Gonick's award winning Cartoon History of the Universe Series. That series began with the Big Bang and ended with Christopher Columbus sailing for the New World. This book starts off with peoples that Columbus discovered and ends with the U.S. Revolution.

Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and gifts — here at Powells.com.